DRDO creates device to measure radiation

Amidst growing apprehensions about the safety of the nuclear power projects, including the much-touted Koodankulam, Chennai-based IT company has partnered with Central agency Defence Research Development Organisation (Drdo) to develop an indigenous device to detect even minute levels of radiation leakage.

The device, dosimeter, has been developed exclusively for Drdo which wanted to measure nuclear radiation with no human exposure.

For now, golden leaf electroscope is the most popular equipment used to detect radiation leakages. However, it still needs a human agent to carry it to radiation-affected areas to detect radiation.

â€œThe major drawback of this mechanism is that it cannot guarantee the life of the human agent carrying the instrument,â€ explains Mr Sridharan Mani, CEO of American Megatrends India Pvt Ltd (AMI), the firm that developed the device. However, dosimeter, developed based on a technology called Motes, offers complete control over the frequency of gamma readings.

Motes are small, low powered and cheap computer connected to several sensors and a radio transmitter. These wireless units identify the level of radioactivity around the area and transmit data using radio frequency.

â€œMotes provide the mechanism to determine radiation intensity levels without any human agent walking into affected areas. It can even be programmed to send alerts in case of varying radiation levels to alert members well in advance,â€ says Mr Sridharan.

The unit has been manufactured by AMI at its Chennai plant and has been supplied to Drdo on a one-time project basis. â€œWe do not own the patent for the product but hope to partner with the agency depending on their requirement,â€ he adds.

The device can prove handy to a cross-section of people including hospital radiographers, nuclear energy plant employees, scientists working with radiation technologies, defense soldiers and radiation safety officers of the government.

For now, golden leaf electroscope is the most popular equipment used to detect radiation leakages.

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That is a classic device; the metal leaves are given a electrical charge so they repel each other. As radiation impinges on the device the charge is diminished, and the leaves again attract each other. The movement is translated to electrical current to be read on a meter.

Motes are small, low powered and cheap computer connected to several sensors and a radio transmitter. These wireless units identify the level of radioactivity around the area and transmit data using radio frequency.

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If a mote is attached to a dosimeter, the amount of total radiation exposure can be determined remotely.

Before pissing on DRDO, you should read and understand what the article says.

However, dosimeter, developed based on a technology called Motes, offers complete control over the frequency of gamma readings.

Motes are small, low powered and cheap computer connected to several sensors and a radio transmitter. These wireless units identify the level of radioactivity around the area and transmit data using radio frequency.

â€œMotes provide the mechanism to determine radiation intensity levels without any human agent walking into affected areas. It can even be programmed to send alerts in case of varying radiation levels to alert members well in advance,â€ says Mr Sridharan.

I work with radioactive compounds in my experiments and by law we are supposed to wear dosimeters in the front pocket of lab coat and as a wrist watch. After every 3 months, these dosimeters are sent back to radioactive authorities to check how much we are exposed to the radiation. Dosimeters check overall exposure while Gieger counters are used for instantaneous radioactive measurements of the environment.

The one DRDO is talking about is the use of dosimeters for remote measurement of radiation using motes (an alternative of dosimeter). This is how motes look like.

Before pissing on DRDO, you should read and understand what the article says.

An acknowledgment of your mistake may be too much to expect?

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Why don't you read and understand...

Motes are small, low powered and cheap computers connected to several sensors and a radio transmitter. These wireless units identify the level of radioactivity around the area and transmit data using radio frequency.

Click to expand...

It is a remote dosimetre, wah

An acknowledgment of your mistake may be too much to expect?

DRDO needs to quit wasting its time on these toys and get serious about meeting India's need to get off 70%+ imports of defence equipment.